The I.T. (and occasionally science) news site "The Register" today published a really random article about climate change. In fact article is perhaps a strong word, for something that seems little more than a calculated trolling. By why does a normally sensible outlet suddenly wheel out an unknown author to post such an out-of-character and controversial piece?

Big Climate's strange 'science' - Would you trust a software engineer to build a bridge? [The Register - Science]

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As with most pseudoscience, the argument made in John Atkinson's piece is vaporous and thus hard to grapple with. Climatology is, we are told, a "new field" (newer than genetics?), hardly worth the journals it's printed in. Climatologists are corrupt, and part of a grand funding conspiracy. Apparently modelers, astrophysicists and other "real" scientists drastically disagree with conclusions on anthopogenic climate change. These nebulous claims are all made without any references to back them up, of course.

Like many junk scientists, Atkinson skates on thinner ice when he attempts to pin down his claims. The more concrete they become, the more easy they are to refute. We are told that climate models are really only based on about "30 years" of data, news that must be a major surprise to paleoclimatologists the world over [1]. "If you go to see the Roman ruins at Ephesus in Turkey, the guide will point out that the harbour is miles from where the nearest sea is today", he proudly states as evidence of plummeting sea levels, neglecting to realise (as any guide book would point out) that the "movement" of the sea is merely due to the old harbour silting up [2].

More interesting than this tired regurgitation of denialist rhetoric is the context in which it appears. The article sits at odds with the general tone of El Reg, and the author, John Atkinson, has never previously been published on the site [3]. The tagline only says that John Atkinson is an IT professional. Googling his name gives no further clues, no existing blogs, no indication as to why he's suddenly been given his debut on El Reg. He's not even on their staff [4].

So the question that strikes me is, where has this story come from? Is this just a cynical attempt to stir up debate and get the readership up? If so, judging by the comments, it's working...

[1] For example those at the British Antarctic Survey routinely use ice cores - Ice cores unlock climate secrets (BBC News).
[2] The silting of the harbour - Ephesus, An Ionian City (Sail Turkey).
[3] As shown by this search - Articles by John Atkinson (The Register).
[4] Unlisted on Contact The Register (The Register)